Part 9 - All Things Must Die

Chapter 148 - Clash of the Gods

Edward and Teresa poured over a map of New York, 7610. Gwen watched the skyline for any sign of the Scarlet King and his hordes. Miles was standing next to her, holding her hand.

"What're you thinking?" She asked him.

"About what it will be like having a child. I mean, it can't go any worse than the other two, can it?"

"Not really."

"That's a relief."

There was a strange noise as a Sol Galactic Command ship emerged from temporal warp. At the same time, a group of dragons swooped down and landed on the surrounding buildings causing substantial damage. There was a ping as the elevator doors rumbled open. Miles went down the steps two at a time to greet his parents, especially his father who he knew he'd need to enlist the help of to keep civilians safe.

"What's happening, Miles?" Asked his mother.

"It's hard to explain. Dad, I need you to get the PDNY to start evacuating civilians."

"I can't get that to happen without a reason."

Miles turned his head to Max who was talking to his sister.

"Max, how long?"

He closed his eyes for a second, then opened them again and said:

"Thirty minutes if we're lucky."

"Can you freeze the King for a bit to buy us more?"

"He's a multidimensional entity. If I could, I would."

"OK." Miles turned back to his parents and explained the situation as best as he could.

When he was finished, Jeff spoke into his walkie talkie saying what he'd just been told. It took a few precious minutes, but eventually the police were on the job. He left to go and help with the evacuation.

It seemed luck was not on the side of the alliance. Merely ten minutes after the police started the evacuation, an enormous red crack appeared. From it marched ranks upon ranks of Kates. Max crossed his arms, knowing this would likely be a bloodbath.

"'The judgement has begun. Nowhere to run, father and son, fall one by one.'" He muttered.

"What?" Was all Gwen said.

"I still like music and quoting it like an edgy teenager. Sabaton: Fields of Verdun."

"Oh."

"OK everyone; you know your jobs. Keep the smaller guys busy. Hastur, Moloch and Jeser are here. Mum: find Hastur and kick his butt; you're the only one immune to his power. Dad: find Moloch and venom strike him into the single most valuable puddle the world's ever seen. Teresa, your lot are on Jeser. Everyone else: Kates, Kates and more Kates. Good luck, and stay clear of me and Khahrahk."

Miles and Gwen landed on top of a building overlooking the endless flow of Kates.

"You sure you don't need my help?" Asked the former.

He was scared he'd lose her.

"Max said I'm the only one Hastur doesn't affect. I'll be fine; I'm only a month pregnant. I'll come and find you when I'm done."

They pulled their masks up and kissed.

"See you around, Spiderman."

Gwen leapt off the building and swung towards the great red portal. She spotted her target leading a group of Kates through the streets. The abominations branched off into buildings to slaughter those who hadn't evacuated. She reached for her back and pulled out a glistening katana. Max had recreated one of her old blades, and it seemed he'd also returned her muscle memory. She landed gracefully in front of the screeching line of Kates and Hastur. The Hanged King raised a hand, halting his branch of the army. A flock of crows took-off from his shoulders, streaking towards Gwen who backflipped over the top of them and fired a web with which she reeled herself in and planted her foot in Hastur's rotting face. The stench of death hit her like a brick wall, but it was one she had once learnt to cope with. If a deranged version of her could do that, so could the slightly more normal version. She brought her katana round gracefully, but stopped it just short of Hastur's neck. She was aware the Hanged King hadn't made a single move to defend himself, and she began to wonder if it was a trap. After a moment, she decided hesitating would just be the death of her and she decapitated her opponent cleanly. All of a sudden, a little life returned to the streets. A platoon of Quintari formed up across the street to engage the Kates which screeched in rage before charging. Gwen leapt clear, deciding the short battle with Hastur was something she could justify to Miles, but that this one wasn't.

Miles kicked a Kate towards Charlotte who slashed its throat with a sword similar to Furore Mortale but far from identical. Like Gwen's katana, it had been a gift from Max. Suddenly, a flash of light caught Miles' eye. He jumped clear of the swarm of Kates, letting a pair of dragons at them, so that he could see what it was. A humanoid figure made seemingly from pure gold was advancing. Moloch, the Horned One, caught his eye. All of a sudden, memories flooded Miles' mind. The most prominent one was of his Uncle Aaron lying on the ground dying from a bullet wound. Could he have saved him? No; there was no way. Spiderham had said it: not everyone could be saved. Miles snapped back to reality; there would be time to think this over later. Right now he had to destroy Moloch and cripple the Scarlet King's left flank.

"Charlotte! I'm going in!" He yelled to his estranged daughter.

She drove her sword through another Kate and hurled it aside, then looked up at him.

"Stop hanging around, then!" She yelled back before returning her attention to the next Kate in the seemingly endless line.

Miles leapt off the side of the building and swung towards the golden glint. As he got closer, his guilt over so many things grew stronger and stronger. This must be Moloch's power: to bring out people's shame and use it to cripple them. He wouldn't let it cripple him; if he did, he'd have so much more guilt than what he already had. It was that thought of using his enemy's weapon against them that drove him as he did one final swing up, charged a mega venom strike and dived. Moloch drew back his fist to throw his own punch and the two met. Electricity coursed through both of them, making Moloch groan at the pain, but Miles didn't feel it since he was the source. Parts of Moloch's body had started to liquify under the intensity of the electricity and the spider used it to his advantage, webbing an overturned car and smashing it down onto top of the Horned One. A pool of liquid gold and gasoline leaked out from under the wreckage like blood. Miles swung away before he could be overrun by Kates, shaking the last of the guilt out of his head.

Teresa and her squad had the hardest of Khahrahk's generals to defeat. Jeser had slaughtered them so far, and no matter how hard they fought and how many bullets were fired, the Prince of Many Faces refused to go down. A Phantom jet tore up the street, letting loose some bombs and rockets to ease the horde of Kates, but it did nothing to the group's ultimate foe. Teresa backed behind her soldiers and knelt down, slamming her fist into the ground and letting loose a blue and white projection. Jeser cut it down with his double-bladed sword like it was nothing. Teresa was just about to order a retreat when a black, white, magenta and teal blur leapt down and drove its sword into Jeser's back. The Prince roared, plucking Gwen and hurling her to the ground. She picked herself up a little slower than usual, but was still back up in a couple of seconds.

"You should get out of here." Teresa said to her.

"No. I remember this guy. Max killed him before, but if we can get rid of that sword we might be able to do it ourselves."

"You're the more agile. I'll back you up, and my guys will provide cover fire. But if Jeser kills you, at least I won't be around to witness how Miles reacts."

"And neither will I. You go left, I'll go right. I'll put him in a choke lock and hold his arms; you get that sword."

"On it."

"Three. Two. One. Go!"

Teresa sent another projection out with Gwen. The spider leapt onto a building, then dived down again and wrapped her arms around Jeser's neck and used her legs to keep his arms at bay.

"Aim for the legs!" One of the soldiers yelled and the rest followed the order.

Teresa's projection was on top of Jeser's arms now, wrestling for the weapon, but it was hurled off and Gwen was thrown down at the Prince's feet. He raised his sword to finish her, but suddenly a red, white and blue disc slammed into his head and flew back into its throwers hand. Jeser snarled.

"Go back to your dancing ladies, Captain America."

"Everyone has to start somewhere."

Gwen had escaped back to Teresa's side.

"Did you call him?" Asked the former.

"No. I've got enough American egomaniacs in my life."

"In all the comics Miles reads, Cap's a nice guy."

"It's a joke."

"Oh. OK then."

Jeser received Cap's shield to the face again before starting to run towards his aggressor.

"That's…not going to end well." Teresa mused.

Gwen took a running jump and kicked Jeser in the face again so that Cap could start laying in with punches. However, the Prince dug his sword into the mud and the hero stopped, turning towards the spider and commander with glowing red eyes.

"I forgot about that." Gwen muttered.

"And now you remember. We need back-up."

The whole of Teresa's squad was bringing its guns to bear on her and Gwen, also with red eyes.

"You think?"

"Hey! Go pick on someone your own size!" Yelled a female voice.

A dark pink blur leapt in and stabbed its sword straight into Jeser's face. The Prince of Many Faces went limp and crashed to the ground. Cap and the squad returned to their normal selves, exchanging confused looks, as Charlotte pulled off a cool landing. She stood up straight.

"Don't thank me. I did it for my brother." She explained.

"Thanks." Gwen replied.

Charlotte rolled her eyes and swung away to fight another battle.

The battle went on into the night until the darkness showed the eerie red glow of the portal. Max had been holding back, saving his strength for when Khahrahk himself emerged. The flow of Kates was thinning out, and it couldn't be long. He could feel his heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through his veins as at last the Scarlet King entered the battle. Max stood up and double tapped the side of his head morphing up his dark grey mask and hood. As he spoke, the world shook.

"Khnith-hgor, Shourmaush Urdal [Khnith-hgor, Scarlet King] of the Darkness Below. Face me, and meet your final ending."

"Your idle words do not scare me, Dei Volente. There is no Tree to burn this time; there is no army by your side. You are alone in an ocean of my own."

"Maybe, but it's been a long time. I know how to do a lot of stuff I couldn't before, and I plan to use it. Surely you know you can't win today?"

"Perhaps, but before my time I will take your head as a trophy of my rule. My reign is eternal."

Max took a running leap off the edge of the building he was standing on. Khahrahk ripped up a number of skyscrapers, with telekinesis, and broke them into pieces. Those pieces he sharpened and hurled at his irritatingly agile opponent. Max leapt between the spikes, gaining ground, until he fired a web to swing the last clear stretch. A final spike went straight through it, however, sending him tumbling towards the ground. He gained control and fired a second straight at Khahrahk. With this one, he swung between the Scarlet King's legs, twisting around and drawing Furore Mortale, before slicing the the sword up his greatest enemy's back. Khahrahk seemed barely phased by it and laughed. Max retreated a little, then rocketed forwards so fast the atmospheric friction created flames that threatened to cook him alive. He slammed into the back of the King's head sending him tumbling forwards to the ground. He fired a web and swung up onto his original perch. The tower was heavily battered from the spikes now, but it was still perfectly sturdy. For a victorious moment, he wondered if he had won, but it seemed it was not to be. The Scarlet King's haunting laugh rose up and the two-hundred storey behemoth slowly clambered back to his feet.

"Your blade is useless, your strongest punches are little more than those of an insect. You have failed, Dei Volente."

"Not yet. I've got a lot more tricks up my sleeve."

"Then prove you are a worthy opponent."

Max wasn't actually sure how many more tricks he really had left. He'd been counting on Furore Mortale doing more damage, but on reflection he should have remembered it did little in the previous battle in Zaltoxir. What he did remember was it completely removed one of the King's horns, and it seemed the injury still hadn't healed. It wasn't lethal, but it was doing damage. He took another leap and began to cross back and forth, removing each of the enormous black spikes one at a time. Khahrahk roared in agony, and on the fourth pass reached up so that Max barrelled straight into the palm of his hand. The King hurled him to the ground and made to stomp on him, only missing because a dark pink blur hauled him out of the way. Charlotte put her brother back on his feet.

"Sorry to be a pessimist, but you're getting your ass kicked." She said.

"Not really. That's the first hit he's landed. The problem is I just can't dish out enough damage without blowing myself up."

"You are not blowing yourself up, Max."

"I'll do whatever needs to be done, Charlo. It's what I have to do. I might be able to cause earthquakes just by talking, but this guy still terrifies me. He has to be destroyed once and for all."

"I know you're scared. I can see it in your eyes. Maybe you just need to look at this from a different angle?"

"I've already tried from behind and it did nothing."

"From the side?"

"It might dislocate his shoulder if we're lucky."

"Try it."

Max leapt into the air, hovering for a second to figure out how to do this. He went straight for the King's face, but ducked round to the right just in time to avoid a red fist. He pulled an almost identical move to what he had done to the King's back, this time pushing him to the side into the decimated remains of a skyscraper. The move had even less impact than from behind, and it came with a sizeable chunk of twisted metal and concrete straight to the face. Max crashed into the ground in front of his sister who helped him up again.

"I guess that didn't work." She commented.

"You think? There's only one thing left I can do."

"What?" She remembered their talk from less than a minute earlier and shook her head. "No, Max. You are not blowing yourself up."

"It's me or the multiverse. Anyway, I'll come back after a bit of time."

"No. I won't let you. I'm not losing my little brother."

Miles and Gwen swung in, their suits battered and torn.

"What's happening?" Asked the latter.

Charlotte turned to her mother and explained, not really caring about her hatred for her. Her brother was more important. As she turned back to Max, her blood ran cold as she realised he wasn't there. She looked up to see him hovering, the light around him getting brighter and brighter.

"Max!" She yelled, going to swing up to him.

Miles grabbed her and restrained her, knowing Max's judgement was better than anyone else's and thinking that it was likely if she got too close she might make him explode early and do nothing to the enemy. Charlotte fought to get free, but Gwen came to Miles' aid.

"Let go!" She screamed, kicking like crazy.

Max closed his eyes, wishing he could close his ears as well so he didn't have to listen. He focused on a random point in the multiverse and tore forwards creating more flames from friction. He felt himself hit flesh and dig into it. When he couldn't push any deeper, he released all the built up cosmic energy in an explosion which shook not only this New York, but also the New Yorks of multiple parallel worlds.

The shockwave blasted Miles, Gwen and Charlotte off their feet. It shattered just about every pane of glass in the city and flooded it with a blinding light. A few seconds later, the ashes began to fall. Through it all, Charlotte swore she saw something flying clear that looked roughly human shaped. She scrambled to her feet and sprinted in the direction it had crashed in; Miles and Gwen followed. She came to the lip of a smouldering crater inside which she could make out a broken human body. She slid down to it and recognised her brother.

"Max! Please! Don't be…"

She shook him, lifting his head onto her arm. She used his hand to morph away his mask and hood and saw that his eyes were open. They moved to make contact with hers.

"Max. You'll be OK."

He shook his head weakly.

"No. I'm…I'm…tired."

She pulled her mask off as she felt tears welling up.

"You can't go."

"I'll…be back. You have to…listen." He said, coughing between his words.

"I'm listening."

"Destroy the…TV…A. Find the…anonymous…tip-off."

"I will. We will."

She didn't look up as a dark shadow swooped overhead, but she did when Odhaviing peered into the crater. Max let his head roll to the side so he could talk to the dovah.

"Help…them. I'll…be back. I just need to…rest. Yeah. Rest."

His eyes started closing. Charlotte shook him, trying to keep him awake.

"No, no, no. Max. Look at me. You have to stay awake."

He didn't react; his eyes closed completely and he let out one last breath. Charlotte let the tears flow, sobbing into her brother's chest as if her tears might restart his heart. Maybe it was just one of his pranks? Maybe he was OK? By now there was a small cluster of people at the crater's edge. Teresa slowly climbed down to Charlotte and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Charlotte shook her head.

"He's still here. He isn't gone."

"No he's not. But he's a God, for goodness sake. He'll come back guns blazing, but he needs time. For now we have to do what he asked: destroy the TVA and find out who tipped them off."

The spider nodded, but as she looked down at her brother's broken body again a fresh wave of tears flowed. Teresa looked up at Odahviing, curious about how a dragon reacted to its leader's death. The dovah turned its head to the sky where other dragons were perched on the ruins of buildings or hovered, staring down at the scene.

"Dei Volente mahlaan! [Dei Volente has fallen!]"

The rest of them took up the chorus, each of them taking it in turns to say a few words in dragon tongue before taking to the sky in between each repetition. Soon the only dragon left was Odahviing himself.

"I will return when battle calls. Pruzah wundunne, Dei Volente. So los mid fahdon. [Good travels, Dei Volente. Sorrow is a loyal friend.]"

He beat his wings and flew away with a final roar of 'Dei Volente mahlaan'.

Crossovers in this Chapter

- SCP Foundation
- Skyrim
- Loki